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Business

December 2014 $2.00

update
1993-2014

ublication

Cover Story: Aquinas

College Opens New


Alksnis Athletics &
Recreation Building
Inside Features:
Family Owned Business:
Founder Brewing Company
Amore Trattoria

2
Third Party Validation is Imperative
Denver, CO - Entrepreneurs are a varied group of people, but theres one thing
that 93% of them can agree on: reviews
and analysis drive major purchasing decisions for their businesses, according to
new survey results released today by The
Alternative Board (TAB). The survey,
which focuses on B2B sales and what
motivates business owners to make major
purchases, also revealed that entrepreneurs prefer a hands-on approach to testing out new products and services. In fact,
64% prefer personal trial and error - almost
double the 36% who feel comfortable with
a vendor demo alone.

Business owners need something


tangible they can believe in before making a purchase, says David Scarola, Vice
President of The Alternative Board. By
interacting with the product or service in
advance, they can form their own opinions based on what they experience, and
either develop a relationship with the
brand or end it before it even begins.
The preference for a hands-on trial
may also speak to a lack of trust between
business owners and vendors: only 6% of
survey respondents said they are very
trusting of information received from
vendors. Over half of business owners

surveyed believe the information they


receive from vendors is too sales-oriented. How can B2B-based companies begin
to gain trust with their target market,
when entrepreneurs are so skeptical?
To start, B2B companies looking to
make a sale may want to consider making their product widely available for
review. According to TABs survey, 68%
of business owners are more likely to
trust a vendor after engaging with an
independent review of the product or
service. Word of mouth is also highly
influential - 46% of entrepreneurs surveyed reported that business owners

using the product or service have the


greatest influence on their buying decision. Vendors should place a premium on
developing an enthusiastic group of references that prospects can speak to.
Third party validation is imperative, when it comes to convincing business owners to sign on the dotted line,
says Scarola. It removes the guesswork
and some of the potential risk associated
with making a large purchase. A recommendation from a trusted peer adds
familiarity to the unknown.

Small Businesses Go for Big Data


to Better Run Their Enterprises
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-Small business owners optimism on
business prospects and the economy continue to rise, according to the Fall 2014
OPEN Small Business Monitor. Currently,
63% of business owners maintain a positive outlook, a level not reached since
fall of 2007 (64%). Stronger revenue
growth could be fueling this optimism as
more entrepreneurs say their revenues
are higher when compared to a year ago
(42%, up from 38% in 2013).
The rosier outlook from business
owners is reflected in their attitude
towards growing their business:
They are increasingly confident they
can access the capital needed to grow
their businesses (79%, up from 72% six
months ago)
Cash flow concerns are easing (43%,
down from 49% this spring)
Over the next six months, business
growth is the single most important priority for business owners; the last time
this occurred was in spring 2011
Nearly half of all business owners
are confident in the U.S. economy and
find their businesses in an excellent position for growth, said Alice Bredin, small

business advisor to American Express


OPEN. Cash flow is less of a concern and
key indicators such as hiring and capital
investments are trending in a positive
direction.
Big Data for Small Business
As business owners think about
growing their businesses, they are looking
for ways to get the most out of each customer interaction. To set their businesses
apart from the competition, a majority of
business owners say they will place a
heightened focus on better serving their
clients (85%, up from 78% this spring).
As they further sharpen their focus
on customers, an increasing number are
analyzing data for their businesses (69%,
up from 65% in the spring). A majority of
entrepreneurs say they see value in analyzing data (sales, customer/other) to
better run their enterprises (85%). While
many (62%) are aware of low-cost tools
for using data analytics, time is the
biggest barrier to implementation (48%).
The main reasons for implementing
data analytics include:
Improve current products/services
(72%)
Make key business decisions (66%)

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Boost efficiency (65%)


Identify ideas for marketing (58%)
Identify opportunities for new products (52%)
Track loyalty/rewards usage (37%)
Business Owners Prioritize Hiring
and Capital Investments
As entrepreneurs make growth a
priority, many are planning investments
in their businesses. Hiring plans remain
steady as more than one-third of business owners plan to hire over the next six
months (37%, compared to 35% in the
spring).
Reinvesting in the business remains
a priority for entrepreneurs:
Fifty-seven percent plan to make
capital investments over the next six
months (compared to 55% in the spring),
spending $72,100 on average.
They will be investing in:
Technology (45%)
Office equipment (20%)
Manufacturing/production equipment (13%)
Office furnishings (12%)
Real estate investments (9%)
Success Index Unveils Secret Sauce
to Successful Entrepreneurship - Sees
Shift in the Middle: Sustainers making
move to Strivers
The semi-annual Small Business
Monitor, now in its thirteenth year,
includes a Success Index, developed
based on responses to questions regarding business growth and characteristics
proven to be emblematic of high-performing entrepreneurs. Based on a 100-

point scoring scale, four distinct levels


emerged: Strugglers (scoring between
0-40 points), Sustainers (scoring
between 41-60 points), Strivers (scoring between 61-80 points) and High
achievers, who scored highest on the
Index (between 81-100 points).
Successful High Achievers remain
11% of American small business owners
surveyed. There has been movement in
the middle of the Small Business Success
Index as Sustainers rise up (30%, vs.
28% last fall) and become Strivers (39%,
vs. 35% last fall). A comparison between
these groups reveals what behaviors set
High Achievers apart, causes movement
up the Index and ultimately contributes
to success:
They make growth a priority: Nearly
all High Achievers (92%) say they are
planning to grow their businesses over
the next six months (versus 78% of
Strivers, 71% of Sustainers and 57% of
Strugglers) and more than half (51%)
have growth as their top priority (compared to 38% of Strivers, just 30% of
Sustainers and 26% of Strugglers)
They invest in their businesses:
More than three-quarters of High
Achievers (79%) are planning to hire
(versus 38% of Strivers, 25% of
Sustainers and 32% of Strugglers) and
sixty-seven percent are planning to make
capital investments (versus 62% of
Strivers, 53% of Sustainers and 48% of
Strugglers)
Continued on page 3

Family Business: Creating a Sustainable Future 3


Beyond a Transition Date
Kirk Koeman, Managing Partner
DWH
Chris
VanBergen,
Business
Development - DWH
As one generation looks to pass a
family business on to the next, there is
often a focus on the transition date the
day that the new generation will officially take over the day-to-day management
of the business. That hard-stop date is
viewed as the end of the planning that
has taken place leading up to the transition. However, that date should not be
seen as the end of the planning in reality it should be part of a much longer
period that extends beyond the day the
keys are handed over.
The goal of many family business
owners is to create a sustainable business that can be passed from generation
to generation. For this cycle to continue,
the business itself must be viable in
order for it to continue to provide for the
family
through
a
transition.
Unfortunately, many families focus on
how the transaction immediately
impacts the family members and what
the actual transition date is, rather than
focusing on whether the business is best
positioned for viability after a transition
occurs.
As a part of the planning process,
which should start at least two years in
advance of a planned transition, the
generations involved should be confident the following long-term, value-creating items are in place.
Sustainability of Cash Flow
Are the cash flows expected to
remain sustainable in the event of a transition, or in the best case scenario,
increase? Or is the exiting generation
taking the client relationships with them,
which in turn may cause a decrease in
orders or clients? If much of the cash flow
is dependent on the current generation, it
is important to recognize this early
enough so the incoming generation can
start to develop and take over the key
relationships well in advance of a transition.
Documented Strategic Plan
It is key that a strategic plan is well
documented not just discussed
between generations. This is in order for
all parties to agree on and refer to during and after a transition. Much of the
intricacies of a family business rely on
tribal knowledge that information that
each individual knows but often has not
shared with others. By creating a formal
document, all employees, whether they

are family or not, have a clear direction


for where the Company is headed. It also
ensures no critical information is overlooked or left out of discussions.
Tested Succession Management
With a focus on a specific date, there
can be a mindset that until then, the current generation should retain full control.
In reality, this can set a business up for a
last-minute scramble if a current family
member is not prepared to take over on
the transition date. During the planning
period the current generation should
allow the incoming generation to take
part in day-to-day activities and planning. By testing the waters well in
advance, any issues can be discussed and
resolved or plans can be changed before
they have a critical impact on the business performance.
Timely and Accurate Financial
Systems and Controls
Much like a documented strategic
plan, a business should have a variety
of financial systems and controls that
will assist the incoming generation in
understanding how the business functions and what to expect in relation to
financial performance. While the current
generation may know the nuances of
running reports and disseminating the
information from them, the incoming
generation may not have the same level
of understanding. It is important the
incoming generation spends time prior
to a transition getting comfortable with
the reporting systems and controls, and
determining whether these systems are
robust enough to adequately provide
necessary information in a timely and

accurate manner. If improvements to a


system are necessary, these should take
place prior to a transition so that with
the proper controls in place, the generations can spend time reviewing, discussing and understanding trends and
their business impact.
Conclusion
In addition to focusing on valuecreating items, it is important for the
incoming generation to understand and
avoid many of the common value-eroding behaviors that can often negatively
impact a family business. Such behaviors include expecting and allowing preferential treatment of family members;
focusing on pet projects instead of the
existing business; and allowing lifestyle,
status, pride and ego to drive decisions
instead of best business practices.
With preparation and focus on
long-term, value-add behaviors and
controlling value-erosion, a business

can survive and sustain through many


generations and continue to provide for
a family well past a specific transition
date.
Kirk Koeman serves as a Managing
Partner of DWH with more than 13
years of experience in various areas of
business.
Chris VanBergen has over 10 years
of experience in administrative and marketing positions.
DWH is a group of highly accomplished financial and business specialists helping small and mid-size companies in many different industries maximize value, opportunities, and business
outcomes. For more information visit
www.dwhcorp.com or contact the firm at
616-233-0020.

Small Businesses Go for


Big Data
Continued from page 2
They reward staff before themselves: More than eight-in-ten High
Achievers (85%) say they would give
employees raises or bonuses (versus
83% of Strivers, just 68% of Sustainers
and 66% of Strugglers) before themselves
They leverage social media: More
than seven-in-ten (78%) High Achievers
use social media (versus 69% of Strivers,

just 53% of Sustainers and 49% of


Strugglers)
More than four-in-ten (42%) say
they cant live without their smartphone
(versus 34% of Strivers, 24% of
Sustainers and 23% of Strugglers)
They believe in business mentorship: Two-thirds of High Achievers
(66%) have a business mentor (versus
39% of Strivers, 34% of Sustainers and
38% of Strugglers)

Aquinas College Opens New Alksnis Athletics and 4


Recreation Building
By Jane Whittington
Thanks to the generosity of its
donors and the vision of its leaders,
Aquinas College officially dedicated its
new 70,000 square foot athletic facility
at the end of October. The building is
named after Greg Alksnis, a 1971 graduate of Aquinas, and his family who
donated $1.5 million to the project.
Alksnis was a scholarship athlete at the
college who was inducted into the
Aquinas College Athletic Hall of Fame in
2006, one of only three golfers to win
the Grand Slam of four local, major
titles. He went on to become co-owner of
Magic Steel Corporation.
Alksnis is one of many who
stepped up to contribute to the effort.
Peter Wege also was a major donor. The
final cost of the new facility was well
into the millions of dollars and was all

Business

update
ublication

Publisher: Gary Kralapp

Business Development
Senior Vice President: Diane LaPreze
Senior Vice President: Jim Lroy
Circulation: Aubrey Day
Contributing Writers:Kirk Koeman,
Chris VanBergen, Jane Whittington,
Tensie Homan.
Associate Editor: Jeremy Martin
Printing/Distribution: News Web Printing
Accountant: Michael Tawney & Company
Legal: Miller Canfield Paddock & Stone
The monthly published Business Update Inc.
all rights reserved. No portion can be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. The management of Business Update Inc.
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privately funded with no federal or state


funds used. Alumni, community, staff
and students contributed, and the first
shovelful of dirt didnt come out of the
ground until all the money was in place.
The first stage of the ambitious
project, the Sturrus Sports and Fitness
Center, opened in November of 2010 and
includes a basketball court, fitness center, Aquinas Athletic Hall of Fame,
classrooms, training facility, 12 coaching offices, a large conference room,
hospitality room, locker and laundry
rooms and storage. The Alksnis
Building, dedicated on October 30,
2014, completes the complex.
According to Terry Bocian, Athletic
Director of Aquinas College, Our new
facility brings the total space in the athletic complex to 700,000 square feet.
Because of the way it was designed and
configured, the Alksnis Building can be
used for multiple purposes. Metal tubing
all the way around the roof of the building provides a structure for curtaining
which can be easily raised and lowered
and allows us to partition off areas for
different uses. More than one thing can
be going on at any one time.
He continues, Aquinas has 25 different sports, in which 450 student athletes participate. There are outdoor fields
on campus, but this facility will give our
athletes the opportunity for training and
practicing throughout the year. There are
practice areas here for baseball, softball,
soccer, lacrosse and golf. In addition,

theres a portable wooden floor for basketball, volleyball, cheerleading and


dance, which can be positioned on the
turf. The 200 meter, NCAA-certified track
has everything we need for track and field
events. And, of course, the facility is also
open for use by our 1,600 regular students.
Two portable batting cages share
the space, and a double cage will soon
be added; these can be used for baseball,
softball and golf. According to Bocian,
the only conference events that will be
held in the building will be track meets.
For the first time, Aquinas will be able to
host these events. This year, they will
host four meets, including the conference track and field meet. The facility
will also be used for high school track
meets.
Rockford Construction, Integrated
Architecture and other local firms partnered with Aquinas in the project which
broke ground in September of 2013.
The new space also includes locker
rooms, storage, three entryways and
offices.
According to Bocian, We have
some projects in the planning stages for
the future. Of course, the big thing right
now is the generous donation we were
given by the Peter Wege Foundation to
establish an economicology program at
Aquinas. Part of this donation is being
used for upgrades to the science facilities.
Peter M. Wege coined the term

"Economicology"
in
his
book
Economicology:
The
Eleventh
Commandment. It is a combination of
economics and ecology and was
designed to achieve sustainability. It is
the philosophy underlying City High
School in Grand Rapids.
Ostian, a 1970 Aquinas graduate,
has been working at Aquinas since
1972, serving as basketball coach, baseball coach, and, since 1978, as Athletic
Director. He points with pride to the fact
that of student athletes had a 3.0 GPA
or higher, and 50 percent of those had a
3.5 or higher. Ostian says, The most
important part of the college experience
is academics, and we certainly maintain
high standards for our athletes.
Aquinas has been part of Grand
Rapids since 1911, becoming a fouryear college in 1940. Since that time, it
has educated thousands of students and
has been committed to the principles of
faith, learning, service and community.
Martin Luther King, Jr, once said,
The function of education is to teach
one to think intensively and to think
critically. Intelligence plus character
that is the goal of true education. The
staff and students of Aquinas College
would surely agree.
Jane Whittington is a freelance
writer and editor who lives in Grand
Rapids.

GFIA to Invest Over $95 Million in


Capital Improvement Projects
through 2020
Grand Rapids, MI The Gerald R.
Ford International Airport (GFIA) is
committed to providing state of the art
facilities for its passengers, and the
Airport will do just that by investing to
improve its facilities with future projects. GFIAs Capital Improvement Plan
(CIP), which was approved by the
Gerald R. Ford International Airport
Board at todays meeting, will include
projects from 2015 through 2020 that
total over $95 million.
The anticipated CIP includes a substantial investment in the construction
of the Consolidated Checkpoint &
Marketplace, reconstruction of the terminal apron, a master plan update, and
reconstruction of the North and East

Parking Lots. In addition, the plan


includes resurfacing a portion of the airfield Perimeter Road, and mid-term
maintenance items associated with the
public parking structure.
The GFIA board approved the 2015
amended capital budget at $36,273,585,
the 2016 capital budget of $18,838,500,
and the five-year capital plan for years
2016-2020 of $59,728,400. The total
investment for the six year plan tallies
$96,001,958, with project estimates calculated in 2015 dollars.
This investment in airport infrastructure clarifies our commitment to providing West Michigan travelers an airport
gateway that not only accommodates
increasing activity, but are also reflective

of the West Michigan culture and community. said Brian Ryks, GFIA Executive
Director.
We will continue to make improvements in our facility to make traveling
comfortable, convenient, customerfriendly and cost-effective. Todays
approval from the airport board solidifies
that commitment for our regions travelers.
The CIP is required to be submitted to
the
Michigan
Department
of
Transportation
(MDOT)
Office
of
Aeronautics, and Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) on an annual basis.

5
Before the Exit Bubble Bursts, Be Aware of the Top
Five Reasons Business Sales Go Bad
by Tensie Homan
As a business owner, you might be
dreaming of the day when you sell your
business and ride (or sail) off into the
sunset. That dream may be more difficult
to achieve than you realize. Historically,
only 25% of businesses up for sale actually sell. The odds could get worse in the
Exit Bubble, when millions of baby
boomer business owners exit their businesses over the next decade.
Business sales go bad for a variety of
reasons, but sellers can improve their
odds of success by understanding the top
five reasons business sales go bad.
Sellers are unsure what comes next
for them. If you are like most business
owners, you live and breathe your business. What will happen when you no
longer run your business? How will you
fill your time? You might assume you will
have time to figure this out after you sell
the business. Unfortunately, not having a
clear vision for life after the sale is a common reason a business sale goes bad. The
fear of the unknown can be overwhelming, leading you to stay in your comfort
zone of running the business. Take the

time early in the process to create a vision


of what comes next for you. It will minimize the emotional impact of leaving your
business and increase the odds of a successful sale.
Sellers dont prepare their business
for sale. Before you sell a house, you want
to make it attractive to buyers in order to
increase your odds of selling at a good
price. You might repair the deck, paint the
outside and even plant flowers. The same
holds true when you sell a business, but
the process is much longer. Sellers who
dont step back and view their business
through the eyes of a buyer may be surprised by issues that buyers identify in
due diligence. Those issues could result in
significant price reductions or even failed
transactions. Identifying potential value
detractors and implementing changes can
take several months to several years to
complete. Start now to ensure you are
prepared when the time comes.
Sellers keep skeletons in the closet. It
is human nature to avoid talking about
flaws or weaknesses in our companies
and us. When it comes to selling your
company, its critical that you disclose any
potential negatives as early as possible.

Once you move into due diligence with a


single buyer, the buyers goal is to
decrease the price. If you bring all of your
skeletons out of the closet while there are
multiple bidders, youre in a better negotiating position. Surprises in diligence are
avoidable if you spend time preparing
your business as discussed above.
Sellers assume the initial price is final.
Getting a letter of intent or initial offer from
a buyer is exciting, especially when the
offer meets your financial goals. Dont start
spending those proceeds yet. Even though
it feels like youre on the final stretch, the
buyer has just come off the starting blocks.
The buyer has a limited time to learn everything about your business and ensure he
pays the lowest price possible. Due diligence provides the buyer the opportunity to
find reasons to reduce the purchase price. If
you have prepared your business for sale
and disclosed the skeletons, you can minimize potential adjustments to the purchase
price.
Sellers succumb to deal fatigue.
Selling your business can take months or
even years. Sellers are often surprised by
how in-depth due diligence can be. It is
easy to become tired and defensive when

the buyer is questioning everything you


do and say. It can feel like youre being
attacked, and many sellers become
drained and walk away from the transaction. You can overcome deal fatigue by
being prepared and knowing what to
expect in the sale process. Understanding
the challenges of what you will be facing
during the sale process is critical to getting across the finish line.
Selling a business can be a challenging and emotional process. To ensure you
are in the 25% of successful sales, prepare
yourself, prepare your business and know
what to expect during the sale process.
Tensie Homan is a CPA, author of
Beat the Exit Bubble, and an experienced
mergers and acquisition professional.
Over the last 20 years, including nine
years as a Partner at KPMG LLP, she performed due diligence on more than 200
companies in the U.S. and internationally.
In
2013,
Homan
co-founded
ExitBubble.com with Dan Meyer an
online independent resource for business
owners preparing to exit their business.
Learn
more
about
Homan
at
ExitBubble.com.

Founders Brewing Company is Proud to be


Part of Beer City
By Jane Whittington
If the definition of an entrepreneur is
someone who is willing to take risks in
order to achieve success, both Mike
Stevens and Dave Engbers, co-founders
of Founders Brewing Company, fit that
definition perfectly. While the risks they
took brought them perilously close to the
edge, they recovered, regrouped, reimagined and reemerged stronger than ever.
According to Mike Stevens, who now
serves as CEO of Founders Brewing
Company, Twenty years ago, Dave
Engbers and I wrote a business plan to
open a locally brewery. We were just two
home brewers who thought, Wouldnt
this be great if we could do this for a living? We didnt go into this with some big
plan for a huge company; we were just in
it for the love and passion of brewing craft
beer. We raised some equity locally, borrowed more through an SBA loan and
then went into business. Our first case of
beer was sold in 1997. Our first facility

was on Monroe where we both did the


brewing and opened a small pub.
He continues, Unfortunately, we
opened at a time when people in West
Michigan had no idea what a craft beer
was. We were on the front end of this
movement, and it was tough. In those
early years, we were making good, standard craft beers, but nothing that would
set the world on fire.
From 1994 when they wrote that
first business plan, they didnt even break
even until 2008. Obviously, those early
days were difficult, but they persevered.
In 2000, things happened that started to
turn it around.
Stevens says, By the year 2000, we
were on the verge of bankruptcy. We didnt have the money to pay our bills; everything came crashing down. We had about
a week before it all came to an end. We
had no idea what we were going to do.
He continues, One of our investors
lined me up with an appointment with
Peter Cook, a local businessman and phi-

lanthropist. He had been a small investor


of ours. I went in to speak with Peter, and
he didnt really ask to see financials or dig
into the details. He wanted to hear my

story and talk about my fight to make this


business a success.
Continued on page 10

Toll Free
Fax

800-968-8608

616-997-7263

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6
Private Exchanges Lowering Employer Costs,
Changing Employee Enrollment Behavior
Detroit - According to an analysis of
GlidePath, Blue Cross Blue Shield of
Michigans private health insurance
exchange, employers and employees are
benefitting from use of the private
exchange by empowering employees as
informed consumers of health care coverage.
The analysis showed Glidepath
increased employee cost awareness,
encouraged employees to make effective
cost choices to meet their needs, and
strengthened knowledge and adoption of
Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). Here
are the findings:
There was a dramatic increase in
awareness of costs. While only 38 percent of employees in general are aware of
what employers pay for health benefits
on their behalf, 94 percent of employees
using Glidepath were aware of their
employers benefit contribution. The cost
transparency delivered through GlidePath
increased knowledge, involvement and
awareness of health care costs.
Employees had a greater tendency
to choose plans with lower premiums and
higher deductibles. After reviewing the

multiple plans available on GlidePath, 79


percent of employees self-selected plans
with deductibles of at least $1,000, two
times the national average.
Employees were more interested in
enrolling in Health Savings Accounts.
Employees have not traditionally selected
HSAs, however, those using GlidePath,
enrolled in HSAs at four times the
national average.
Glidepath provides employers with a
new way to deliver health care benefits to
employees. Employers using Glidepath
set a defined contribution amount and
their employees use those funds to
actively shop online to select a health
plan using the exchange.
The findings published in a
BCBSM white paper analysis of
Glidepath, the states first and largest private exchange - are particularly significant in light of a recent estimate by
Accenture, a leading management consulting firm which shows that the number of Americans enrolled through private exchanges will grow from the current three million Americans to an estimated 40 million Americans buying cov-

erage on private exchanges by 2018.


With Glidepath, the number of
employees aware of the cost and value of
their employers health benefits jumps to
94 percent. Private exchanges are not
only changing the way employees shop
for plans, they are increasing consumer
engagement and accountability, changing
the way consumers use their benefits,
said Ken Dallafior, executive vice president, Commercial Business for BCBSM.
According to Kaiser, 87 percent of
companies offer only one health plan
option to employees. This one for all
approach leaves many employees with a
plan that, unsurprisingly, doesnt fit.
GlidePath gives employees more choice
with up to 10 health plans plus dental
and vision options. They then actively
shop every year for a plan. And when
confronted with increased choice, members enrolled through the GlidePath
exchange are weighing their options and
making trade-offs in order to choose benefits that best meet their own personal
financial and coverage needs.
Employers have historically struggled to gain employee adoption of health

savings accounts. As a result of the oneon-one support GlidePath provides


through non-commissioned advisors
who help guide and educate members on
health plan options and match them with
a plan that best meets their needs and
preferences members are enrolling in
health savings accounts at a rate over
four times the national average.
In 2011, Blue Cross introduced
GlidePath as an additional way to help
businesses manage the increasing cost of
health care putting employees in the
drivers seat to make benefit choices.
Private exchanges have two facets
defined contribution financing and an
online shopping platform. This allows
employers to predict and control costs by
setting a defined allowance for employees
and choosing a pre-configured menu of
benefits. Employees then pick a plan
from that menu using an online shopping
platform, with decision support that
assesses lifestyle and health care use
information to provide personalized recommendations for each employee.

Legal/Accounting/Consulting Briefs
Grand Rapids Hilger Hammond, PC,
announced Steve Hilger and Aileen
Leipprandt were listed in 2015 Edition of
Best Lawyers for Construction Law.
Detroit For the fourth consecutive year,
Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn,
LLP, was ranked among the top 25 large
companies in Detroit Free Press 2014 Top
Workplaces in Michigan.
Grand Rapids Hilger Hammond, PC,
announced Suzanne Sutherland joined
as Associate Attorney.
Grand Rapids Julie A. Sullivan was
admitted as a Fellow in the prestigious
American Academy of Matrimonial
Lawyers.
Detroit Honigman Miller Schwartz
and Cohn, LLP, announced Lawrence D.
McLaughlin, Chair of the firms Real
Estate Department, was named Co-Chair
of International Council of Shopping
Centers.

Grand Rapids Andy Portinga was elected President of Federal Bar Association
for the Western District of Michigan.
Grand Rapids Varnum, LLP, ranked
nationally in 3 practice areas and regionally in 55 practice areas in 2015 "Best
Law Firms" list by U.S. News & World
Report and Best Lawyers.
Grand Rapids Hilger Hammond, PC,
announced they received a Tier 1 ranking
in 2015 edition of U.S. News Best Law
Firms.
Detroit Attorney Chao (Charley) Meng
joined Honigman Miller Schwartz and
Cohn, LLP, Corporate Department.
Grand Rapids Hilger Hammond, PC,
announced
Attorney
Benjamin
Hammond achieved the highest possible
rating for both ethical standards and legal
ability and earned rating of 'AV
Preeminent' from Martindale-Hubbell.

Grand Rapids Warner Norcross &


Judd, LLP, was named one of 2015 Most
Feared Litigation Firms by BTI Litigation
Outlook.
Grand Rapids Warner Norcross &
Judd, LLP, welcomed new Attorneys:
Nicholas J. Monterosso, Kaitlyn Morin,
Emily S. Rucker, Patrick Tully, and
Courtney A. Williams.
Grand Rapids Attorney Jason Miller
was named one of 2014 Up and Coming
Lawyers by Michigan Lawyers Weekly.
Grand Rapids U.S. News announced
2015 Best Law Firms, ranking Miller
Johnson with tier 1 rankings for 26 practice areas in Grand Rapids Metro Area
and 8 in Kalamazoo. Miller Johnson is the
only firm ranked tier 1 in Grand Rapids
for Closely Held Companies and Family
Business Law, and the only firm in
Michigan ranked tier 1 for Family Law
Mediation.

Detroit Honigman Miller Schwartz


and Cohn, LLP, announced Matthew H.
Szalach joined their Intellectual Property
Department (Bloomfield Hills office), and
B. Michael Ortwein, III joined their
Litigation Department (Detroit office),
both joining as Partners.
Grand Rapids Miller Johnson welcomed
Dustin J. Daniels as Corporate Law
Attorney.
Kalamazoo Abigail Murray and
Michael Rouvina announced opening of
their law firm, Murray & Rouvina, PLC,
specializing in probate/estate planning,
business law, family law, animal law, and
alternative dispute resolution.
Grand Rapids/Greenville Hungerford
Nichols CPAs + Advisors announced
addition of two Greenville accounting
practices to their firm: Dean Jensen CPA,
PC, and Christine W. Kohn, PLLC. The
expanded team will relocate offices to 114
North Lafayette Street, December 2014.

7
Live Well, Die Well, and Grieve Well
Grand Rapids - A new organization,
backed by a major local donor and organized by a leading senior living community, recently launched in Grand Rapids
with a mission of helping medical professionals, families and terminally-ill
patients in West Michigan and across
Michigan to live well, die well and grieve
well.
The organization, Trillium
Institute, is one of the first in the nation
dedicated exclusively to helping medical
professionals and families of those with
life-defining illnesses to navigate the
complex end-of-life medical and emotional options.
The nonprofit organization launched
publicly in October and is currently seeking 501(c)(3) status. Trillium Institute is
affiliated with Holland Home and will be
led by an executive director and medical
director, and governed by an independent
board of directors. Trillium Institute has
been in development since January 2014
and is operating with funds from a 3-year
grant given by a local philanthropist personally touched by an experience with
palliative and hospice care.
Well-known palliative care physician, John Mulder, M.D., serves as Medical
Director and healthcare industry consultant Ken Hekman serves as Executive
Director.

Mulder, also medical director for


Holland Homes Faith Hospice, is a
nationally recognized authority on endof-life issues and pain management and
has become a sought-after speaker on the
topics. A board certified palliative medicine specialist, he has had involvement in
the field of hospice and palliative medicine since 1984.
Hekman has over 40 years of healthcare leadership experience in health planning, nursing home administration and
medical group management. Hekman is
the author of six books on healthcare
management and regular speaker on leadership development training.
As a country, we spend enormous
resources to extend life, but with little
regard for the quality of life, says Dr.
Mulder. Can we do a better job of aligning medical resources with personal values, preferences and desires to achieve a
balance between the quantity and quality
of life? We think so.
American culture needs a new
social contract to deal with advancing illness, frailty, and death itself, says
Hekman, who has owned healthcare consultancy The Hekman Group of Holland
for nearly 25 years. Our intention with
Trillium Institute is to develop innovative
ways for healthcare providers to care for

people with serious illnesses. The institute was challenged to find fresh ways to
help those with life-defining illnesses as
they navigate the complex medical
options, and equally complex emotional
burdens that await them.
The institute will focus on two distinct audiences: patients and their families, and the medical community.
For both audiences our hope is for
the institute to serve as a resource for
information about how to prepare for serious illness, how to navigate the healthcare delivery system in the face of a diagnosis, and how to communicate their values, preferences and desires to preserve
the quality of life as disease processes
advance, said Hekman.
For the medical community, the institute aims to serve as a resource to train
practicing physicians, medical students,
residents, nurses, physician assistants,
and social workers in the art of clear communication in crucial conversations with
patients and their families. Trillium
Institute will also support advanced medical training for selected physicians who
aspire to become board-certified palliative
care physicians.
To reach these target audiences,
Trillium Institute will focus on offering
educational opportunities. The group has

already organized its first community


forum aimed at the medical community.
A forum to be held December 10 at Grand
Valley State University will feature an
author of the recent Institute of
Medicines report Dying in America, Dr.
Christian Sinclair. The event is free and
open to the public on a first come basis.
More information on this event can be
found on the Trillium website, www.trilliuminstitute.org.
In addition to educational events and
outreach, Trillium Institute is also developing a clinical resource which will deliver navigation services directly to patients
and families This service will provide
patient navigators to guide patients and
their families through the complex medical decisions and emotional challenges
associated with life-defining illnesses.
Navigators are professional nurses or
social workers with specialized training in
managing complex diseases.
Trillium Institutes patient navigators will come alongside patients with
guidance from our physicians to help
patients and families understand disease
and treatment options, and to coordinate
care as clinical needs change, said Dr.
Mulder.

Almost Half of Older Adults Have Care Needs


Ann Arbor - Nearly half of older
adults18 million peoplehave difficulty
or get help with daily activities, according
to a new study.
Researchers from the University of
Michigan and the Urban Institute analyzed data from a national sample of older
adults drawn from Medicare enrollment
files. In all, 8,245 people were included in
the 2011 National Health and Aging
Trends Study. The analysis was published
in the current (September 2014) issue of
the Milbank Memorial Quarterly.
"Although 51 percent reported having no difficulty in the previous month,
29 percent reported receiving help with
taking care of themselves or their households or getting around," said U-M
researcher Vicki Freedman, co-author of
the report with the Urban Institute's
Brenda Spillman. "And another 20 percent
said they had difficulty carrying out these
activities on their own."
Among those receiving help, one in
four lived in either a supportive care setting (15 percent) or a nursing home (10
percent).
Severe disability is more common

among those with low incomes, the


researchers found. A disproportionate
share of low-income persons received
assistance with three or more self-care or
mobility activities in settings other than
nursing homes.
Nearly all older adults had at least
one potential informal care network memberfamily or household member, or
close friendand the average network
size was four people.
Older adults who lived in the community reported receiving an average of
164 hours of care a month from informal
caregiversmore than five hours a day,
on average. Older adults living in supportive care settings reported nearly 50
hours of informal care per month.
About 70 percent of those getting help
received assistance from family, friends and
other unpaid caregivers, while about 30
percent received paid care.
Unmet needs, especially among those
receiving paid assistance, were sizable,
according to Freedman and Spillman.
"Among the 18 million who had difficulty or received help, 30 percent had an
adverse consequence in the last month

related to unmet need," Spillman said.


"Among community residents with a paid
caregiver, the figure was nearly 60 percent."
Given these substantial care needs,
especially among those with few economic
resources, the researchers conclude that
policies to improve long-term care services

and supports and reduce unmet needs could


benefit both older adults and those who
care for them.
The research was funded by the
Department of Health and Human Services
and the National Institute on Aging.

8
GVSU Engineering, Computing Report Record
Enrollment
Grand Rapids - A record number of
students are enrolling in and graduating
from engineering and computing programs at Grand Valley State University.
The Seymour and Esther Padnos
College of Engineering and Computing
(PCEC) reported that the number of students majoring in engineering programs
has nearly doubled in the last 10 years,
and enrollment in computing and informations
systems
programs
has
increased by 46 percent since 2006.
Paul Plotkowski, dean of the college, said the growth is attributed to
employer demand and student interest,
which is a result of more attention being
paid to STEM disciplines in K-12

schools.
The message that these disciplines
are making a difference in the world is
being heard, Plotkowski said. Ten to
15 years ago, you probably never heard
of work like biomedical engineering.
Today, its a very understood thing and a
good example of how engineering
changes the world.
Plotkowski said the No. 1 piece of
feedback PCEC receives from students is
the benefits of cooperative education, a
program that requires students to complete three semesters of paid intern work
for an employer that is most often located in West Michigan.
Were a very teaching-oriented

university, and the internship and co-op


program gets our students ready for life
and careers, not just theory, he said.
Most students are offered full-time jobs
before they graduate, many times at
companies where they completed their
co-op experience. The majority of our
graduates are working and living in the
Grand Rapids area and throughout West
Michigan.
Chris Plouff, interim director of the
School of Engineering, said students
receive real-world experience while pursuing their degree. The internship and
co-op work not only provide a great
resume builder, it enhances the learning
experience by making the theoretical

content relevant and tangible, allowing


for deeper and more meaningful learning, he said.
Grand Valley provides opportunities
for K-12 students to learn about STEM
careers through camps and workshops.
Learn more at www.gvsu.edu/pcec.
The engineering program was
established in the mid-1980s with 135
students. All five engineering programs
at Grand Valley are accredited by the
U.S.
Accreditation
Board
for
Engineering and Technology (ABET), a
national system that assesses the quality of engineering programs in the U.S.

Buon Appetito: Dining the Italian Way


By Jane Whittington
Pasta e Fagioli, Arancini, Pollo
Saltimboca. Penne Gaberetti. Pizza!
Italian food has long been the most popular ethnic cuisine in the United States,
and Grand Rapids is no exception.
Whether the family is going out for a
casual meal or a couple is looking for a
romantic night out with candles and
wine, there are Italian restaurants
throughout the area that will be perfect
for good food, superior service and a
fantastic night out. There are long-time
favorites like Noto, Vitales and Tre
Cugini, which have been delighting diners for years. Within the past few years,
some newer restaurants are proving just
as popular.
Amore Trattoria is located at 5680
Alpine in Comstock Park and is owned
by Jenna and Maurizio Arcidiacono.
According to Chef Jenna Arcidiacono,
Its always been a dream of mine to
open a restaurant. Maurizio was born in
Busto Arsizio, a small village near
Milan. I lived in Italy with him for three
years and spent most of my days in the

kitchen learning recipes from my


Calabrian mother-in-law. My menu is
inspired by her as well as my own
recipes which include local treasures
from Michigan.
She continues, We purchase as
much food as possible from farms on the
ridge where the restaurant is located. We
love to use produce that is grown less
than a mile from the restaurant. Italians
started the slow food movement, and
Amore was the first restaurant in West
Michigan to receive the Slow Food Snail
of Approval.
The Arcidiaconos travel to Italy a
few times a year to get new ideas for
recipes.
Jenna says, Our menu changes
every season; I base it on the local products. In the winter, its a heartier comfort
food menu including Ossobucco over
risotto Milanese, and the summer
includes more grilled items and lighter
fare.
The restaurant prepares foods for
people with all dietary needs, including
gluten free, vegetarian and vegan.
Licaris Pizza Kitchen at 2869

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Knapp St. in Grand Rapids has been in


business over just over two years. They
started with a bang when Bobby Flay
came to Grand Rapids to consult with
the Licaris and film their opening for the
Food Network.
According to co-owner Lisa Licari,
My husband, Gianni, had a dream to
own his own business. After a decade in
sales, he decided it was time to pursue
his dream. We put everything we had in
and started Licaris from scratch with no
previous restaurant experience.
She continues, Our recipes are a
combination of Giannis moms family
recipes, my recipes, Giannis pizza
dough recipe and some others that our
chefs have come up with. Our recipes are
based on a unique niche, and we stay
true to Sicilian authenticity. We change
our menu twice a year and have a new
special every week.
They promise simple, fresh, high
quality and authentic food, and Lisa
says, We use fresh, never frozen ingredients, and it shows in the finished
product.
Osteria Rossa is the new kid in
town, opened at the beginning of the
summer. The owners are Chris Perkey
and Brittanie Bonham, and Perkey also
serves as Executive Chef. According to
General Manager Megan Perry, They
have both been in the restaurant business their whole professional lives.
Perkey was the owner of the Firehouse
Grill in East Grand Rapids and has

worked in some top Italian eateries in


Chicago. Bonham attended the first
Italian program at the French Culinary
Institute. When the space became available, the vision they had for a new
restaurant came true.
Osteria Rossa is located downtown
just adjacent to Memorial Park at 16
Monroe Center. Perry says, We are
designed to be a neighborhood restaurant for this area. A lot of people are
moving downtown, and we want to be
the place for them to go. We have
already seen a buildup of that neighborhood feel.
Osteria Rossa offers a wide variety
of Italian dishes made with fresh and
local ingredients; depending on what is
available locally, they also feature daily
specials. For those with special dietary
needs, vegetarian, vegan and glutenfree options are always on the menu.
Perry says, All of our pastas are
homemade, so they have been very popular; we have already had to purchase a
larger stove to accommodate the
demand. The porchetta (a moist, savory
pork roast) is also extremely popular.
As they say in Italy, Buon Appetito
(enjoy your meal)! With restaurants
like these on the menu, proprio il vostro
giorno fortunato (its your lucky day)!
Jane Whittington is a freelance
writer and editor who lives in Grand
Rapids.

9
Nichols and Kellermeyer Join Forces
Muskegon - As part of a strategic
plan for continued growth and expansion,
Nichols and Kellermeyer are joining
forces. The agreement was closed on
Tuesday, October 28, 2014 and is one of
several acquisitions completed over
Nichols 78 year history. The Kellermeyer
location will be called KellermeyerNichols.
Kellermeyer has been a family owned
and operated janitorial and industrial
supply distributor for over 70 years. The
company has grown to a multi-million

dollar a year sales organization with 48


employees. Kellermeyers expertise and
focus on the industrial, education, building service contractors and healthcare
markets in Indiana, Michigan and Ohio,
fits very well with Nichols current product
offering
and
expansion
plans.
Kellermeyer President & CEO, Jill Kegler,
quoted, This is an exciting opportunity
for Kellermeyer, our customers, and our
team members. Nichols is a highly reputable company with strong values and
ethics. I am pleased to be part of the team

and look forward to the future.


Nichols has been a preferred distributor to the industrial, education, building
service contractors, healthcare and lodging industries since 1936 by assisting
customers with clean and healthy facilities and the safe shipment of products.
Based in Muskegon, MI with branch locations in Grand Rapids, Greater Detroit,
Holland and Traverse City, Nichols leads
the industry with a You First service
model of innovation, knowledge and
excellence.

We are excited to have brought


together these two strong and successful
family owned businesses. Kellermeyer
has always been a highly regarded company and we are happy to have joined
forces to continue to provide high quality
products and solutions and to expand our
presence in the Great Lakes Region. We
are also very pleased that Jill will remain
with Kellermeyer-Nichols as General
Manager. said CEO Mike Olthoff.

Grand Rapids selected as one of


Americas Best Cities for Global Trade
Grand Rapids - The Right Place, Inc.
was recently notified that Grand Rapids
has been chosen as one of America's
Best Cities for Global Trade by Global
Trade Magazine. Grand Rapids was chosen as one of the top ten Emerging
Cities in the nation. An article featuring
Grand Rapids appears in the current issue
of the quarterly magazine, which hits
mailboxes on November 10.

Every year, the editors at Global


Trade magazine identify 10 specific needs
that globally-minded companies have in
selecting a new location and those needs
became the "categories" for judging.
With a new twist on this year's list,
our editorial team identified 10 needsbased and relevant categories that globally minded companies refer to when
choosing a new location. These needs

Business Briefs
Holland EBW Electronics was named
again to The 2014 Inc. 500/5000 annual
rankings list, and Pat LeBlanc, Chairman,
was named 2014 Small Business Person
of the Year by Michigan West Coast
Chamber of Commerce. EBW has experienced a 700% growth over the past five
years, and has doubled its employees.
Lansing ASCE Michigan Section
selected Carey Suhan, PE, as its 20142015 President, and elected new officers
for 2015: President-Elect - Therese
Kline, PE; Vice President - Steven
Waalkes, PE; Treasurer - Melinda
Bacon, PE; Secretary - Christopher
Owen, PE; and Past President - Ronald
Goldie, PE.
Grand Rapids Columbian Logistics
Network received Michigan Occupational
Safety and Health Administration Safety
and Health Achievement Recognition
Program award for its Grand Rapids distribution center.
Holland/Zeeland TNT Roofing, Inc.
was presented with West Coast Chambers
IMPACT Award for their work with
Lakeshore Habitat for Humanity.

became the 10 categories we used to


measure and select this years recipients,
shared Global Trade editor Patrick Dooley.
This designation is further validation that Grand Rapids can compete globally, said Birgit Klohs, President and
CEO, The Right Place, Inc. The Right
Place continues to see great interest from
international companies in our region, as
well as numerous West Michigan-based
companies increasing their global reach
overseas.
Each of the 10 categories in turn had
10 recipients for a total list size of 100

cities. That may sound like a lot of cities,


but when you consider that there are
some 30,000 cities in the U.S., being
named as a top 100 for global trade is
pretty rarefied air, added Dooley.
We chose our cities not based on
any single metric such as GDP or export
totals, but rather based on a city-by-city
analysis of what each is doing to excel in
our categories of interest. We find this to
be a more personalized approach that
highlights tangible economic development, said Global Trade senior editor
Steve Lowery.

Grand Rapids DK Security announced


they were awarded a three-year contract
in the amount of $2,610,439.50 (with
four additional 1-year options) with State
of Michigan to provide unarmed security
guard services for Cadillac Place in downtown Detroit.
Grand Rapids Custer announced addition of Shawn Fiske as Director of
Facility Services.

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Engineering President Harm Perdok
announced his plans to retire effective
June 2015.

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Holland Driesenga & Associates, Inc,


announced Chris Breinling, PE, joined as
Project Manager in the firms Civil
Engineering Department in Holland, and
Sherman Potter, PE, joined as Project
Manager in the firms Civil Engineering
Department in Kalamazoo.
Grand Rapids Rockford Construction
announced its 2013 renovation of 601
First Street received LEED Platinum certification.

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10

Communication & IT
C/D/H Announces Merger with
Blue Sphere and New Leadership
Grand Rapids - C/D/H, the enterprise
technology solutions consultancy, today
announced it has merged with Blue
Sphere Solutions, a Grand Rapids based
software development firm. From this
acquisition, C/D/H adds a portfolio of successful software products and an established software development team to its
user-centric SharePoint, application
development, cloud and infrastructure
consulting services.
In addition to this acquisition, C/D/H
is announcing changes to its leadership.
Co-founder and Managing Partner Paul

Hillman, long a pillar in the Michigan IT


community, has retired as a shareholder
and member of the C/D/H leadership
team.
Mark Becker and Susan Cotts, both
existing Partners at C/D/H, will become
half of the management team, acting as
the Director of Consulting Services and
Managing Partner respectively. Jim
Brown, who recently joined C/D/H as part
of the June 2014 merger with Coil Group,
becomes Partner and Director of Sales and
Marketing.
Chris Hashley, formerly
owner of Blue Sphere Solutions, becomes

Partner and Director of Software


Development. The collective vision of the
new C/D/H leadership is that they will
continue to build on C/D/Hs 24 year history delivering technology solutions that
fuel organizations and people.
C/D/H acquiring the web development and SharePoint team from Plante
Moran in 2011 was the first step towards
the C/D/H transformation.
The Coil
Group merger was a natural extension of
that vision, allowing our company to do
what it does best -- create business value
through technology, says Paul Hillman.

With the addition of the Blue Sphere


team, the vision I had with Mark Becker
and Susan Cotts is solidified. I have high
confidence that the collective embodiment
of all three firms, operating as one C/D/H,
will serve our existing and future clients
well after my retirement.
Hillman will stay on as a part-time
consultant and business development
executive, but will also enjoy his newfound free time travelling, pursuing his
charitable interests and spending more
time with his family.

Founders Brewing Company is Proud to be


Part of Beer City
Continued form page 9
We talked about the entrepreneurial

spirit and the battle to succeed. We had a


good conversation, but I left that meeting
still thinking I was going back to shut

Review of Conspiracy
Theories and Other
Dangerous Ideas
Obamas New Progressivism that urges
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Conservatives bash Sunstein, now a
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extremism, and explains why people savor
conspiracy theories. Sunsteins writing
style is engaging, though his often-strong
opinions sometimes dissipate or disappear,
as in a rudderless chapter on climate
change. getAbstract recommends his intelligent essays to students of government,
policy makers, those interested in animal
rights or cognitive science, and corporate
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Provided by www.getabstract.com
Legal scholar and former Obama
administration official Cass R. Sunsteins
essays provide insight into a variety of
issues, including conspiracy theories, climate change, animal rights and a form of

Cass R. Sunstein. Conspiracy


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Simon & Schuster, 2014. 267 pages. ISBN:
9781476726625.
getAbstract is the leading provider of
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down the operation.


By the end of the week, Stevens
received a call from the bank telling him that
Peter Cook had guaranteed their loan, and
they were out of the woods. After the bank
loan was cleared up, they had a couple of
other investors step forward to bolster them
up, and they were back in business.
However, Stevens and Engbers
decided that it wasnt going to be the
same business. They recalibrated and
decided that instead of making good craft
beer, they were going to make great craft
beer, the kind they themselves wanted to
drink. Their slogan Brewed for Us came
from that decision.
Stevens says, Now this was 2000,
when craft beer still wasnt that popular.
We started coming out with some really
different beersdouble chocolate oatmeal
stout, beers aged in whiskey barrels, Dirty
Bastard, which is a high alcohol, strong
Scotch ale. Right away, we started seeing
an uptick in sales. These new beers captivated our audience and brought customers to the brand. Getting away from
the basics and creating something new
led us to success.
Today, the company that started with
two and expanded to 15 now has 270
employees. All the beer is designed
here, brewed, bottled and packaged here
and then is distributed throughout the
country. As of today, their beer is sold in
32 states and 12 countries.
Despite the recent recession, the
business flourished during the worst of
Michigans
economic
downturn.
According to Stevens, Beer is an affordable luxury, and we continued doing well
during this time.

Founders moved into its current


facility in 2007, have had four expansions
and are now at the beginning of a huge
expansion which will double the space. It
will add not only commercial space but
also brewing capacity.
The pub at 235 Grandville Ave. in
downtown Grand Rapids is large and busy
with a capacity for 650 along with outside
seating and a delicious and diverse menu of
soups, salads and sandwiches. And beer. A
casual atmosphere and friendly waitstaff
adds to the experience. The pub is open
every day, and musical entertainment is a
crowd-pleaser. A small shop next to the
pub sells Founders merchandise including
wearing apparel with whimsical and colorful designs imagined by the in-house
design staff.
Founders brews about 20 different
beers with more added to the lineup all
the time. Many are seasonal or specialty
beers with five of the 20 on offer yearround. According to Stevens, their most
popular is All Day IPA.
Founders Brewing Company has created a vibrant culture around their beer
and has certainly played a role in helping
Grand Rapids being designated Beer
City. It may have taken awhile for entrepreneurial risk to pay off, but it paid off
big, and Founder is positioned to continue to thrive. Plato said, It was a wise
man who invented beer. And Founders
continues to intrigue the taste buds of
beer-lovers everywhere!

By Jane Whittington is a freelance


writer and editor who lives in Grand
Rapids.

New Luxury Student Housing Comes to Bath Township


Bath Township, MI Westpac
Campus Communities and Wolverine
Building Group are excited to announce
that the Rocks at Chandler Crossings, a
new luxury student housing community,
is coming to Bath Township.

Wolverine Building Group, architect


Bergmann and Associates and civil
engineering firm Kebs, Inc. are working
together on the community, which will
be home to eight three-story buildings
that will house residential units, a club-

Current Business Trends:


A Return to Slow,
Steady Growth
Grand Rapids - The greater Grand
Rapids industrial economy eased to a slower pace in November, according to results of
a monthly survey compiled by Brian G.
Long, director of Supply Management
Research in the Seidman College of
Business at Grand Valley State University.
The survey results are based on data
collected during the last two weeks of
November.
The surveys index of business
improvement, called new orders, remained
positive at +16, but down from +26 reported last month. The production index came
in at +12, lower than the +23 reported last
month, and the employment index retreated
to +16, down from +34 last month, but still
expanding.
The office furniture business continues to see stronger sales, said Long.
Other industries reported mixed results.
For instance, capital equipment firms generally came in strong, but two firms were
hit by a considerable drop in new business
coming in for 2015. The same scenario
came from the industrial distributors, several of which reported brisk business but

others blamed seasonal conditions for the


slower pace. Any firm related to aerospace
is holding its own. Auto parts producers
generally remain strong, but several have
noted the first downtick in business in several months.
Long said Kent County now has the
lowest (unadjusted) unemployment rate in
the state at 4 percent. For the State of
Michigan, the unadjusted rate now stands
at 6.4 percent, considerably below the 8.2
percent rate for the same time in 2013.
The unemployment picture continues to
improve, but we still have a gap to close
before we can consider West Michigan to be
back to full employment, Long said.
Crude oil prices are down, and gasoline is selling for almost a dollar per gallon
less than six months ago. Long said other
commodities are also falling in price. Iron
ore is now about half the price of what it
was just one year ago, said Long. Copper,
lead, zinc, nickel and palladium are all 1015 percent lower in price than just a few
months ago. The fear is that wide-spread
declines in commodity prices have preceded
past recessions.

Construction Briefs
West Michigan - Signature Associates
has negotiated:
the sale of two industrial buildings
totaling 14,600 square feet located at
2217 & 2221 Lemuel Street, Muskegon
Heights, Michigan to Essex Property
Management, LLC. for the seller, Concept
Realty Holdings, LLC.
the lease of 1,120 square feet of office
space located at 3036-3088 Sheffield
Street, Muskegon, Michigan to MOKA for
the landlord, Richard Ghezzi.
Kalamazoo CSM Group announced Ali
Rogers was promoted to Brand Manager.

Cascade Clark leadership announced


opening a 0.6-acre Park and Gardens
addition to its Clark on Keller Lake campus with resident and staff walking paths,
gathering places for music/celebrations,
outdoor grilling area, raised flower and
vegetable gardens, water features and
more.
Grand Rapids Wolverine Building
Group announced they received three
awards from Associated Builders and
Contractors West Michigan Chapters
2014 Excellence in Construction program.

house, coffee shop / lounge area, and a


fitness center. The Rocks will house 119
one-, two-, three-, and four-bedroom
apartments.
The building exteriors will feature
stacked stone and vinyl siding, while the
apartments will offer high end finishes
including granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. The Rocks will
offer individual leases, and residents
will have access to all Chandler
Crossings amenities as well as a free
CATA bus pass.
We are excited to work on another
high-end student housing community in
the East Lansing area, and we have the
privilege of bringing along our talented
group of student housing subcontractors, says Wolverines Project Manager
Jamerson Ries.
The Rocks is scheduled for comple-

tion in late summer of 2015. The Rocks


is located seven minutes from MSUs
campus and is leasing up quickly for the
2015/2016 school year. For more information on The Rocks at Chandler
Crossings, please visit www.therocksatmsu.com.
Wolverine Building Group is a full
service Design-Build, Construction
Management and General Contracting
firm, a member of the U.S. Green
Building Council, an Accredited Quality
Contractor from Associated Builders and
Contractors, and is listed in ENRs 400
Top Contractors in the nation.
Wolverine Building Group is celebrating
their 75th anniversary this year. For
more information about Wolverine
Building Group, please visit www.wolvgroup.com.

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